The RSPB: Bempton Cliffs: Recent sightings Recent sightings The most extraordinary week in Bempton Cliffs History! We have never had a week as extraordinary as last week in Bempton Cliffs history! We had sightings of the Eastern-Crowned Warbler, Black-Browed Albatross, Red Breasted Flycatcher, Goldcrest, Arctic Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff, Short-Eared Owl, Wheatear, Firecrest, Yellow-Browed Warbler, Blackcap, Brambling, Redpoll, Richard's Pipit, Ring Ouzel, Fieldfare and Marsh Harrier. We are all still so excited about the Eastern-Crowned Warbler and the Black-Browed Albatross that visited us last Wednesday, bringing in hundreds of visitors from far and wide. However, things have quietened down this week, as most migrants only stick around for 3 days, having refueled enough to carry on with their journey. A Mealy Redpoll was spotted early yesterday afternoon, but has not been seen yet today.

We do however still have some Brambling in our feeding station and luckily the Red Breasted Flycatcher has just been spotted still hanging around, currently on the path at the side of our overflow car park! Juvenile Bluethroat on the path at Bartlett Nab 8th Oct - Image credit: Dave Aitken Red Breasted Flycatcher 8th Oct - Image credit: Wendy Flakes @wendyredrobin We couldn't resist another couple of photos of the stars of last week. Unfortunately the Eastern-Crowned Warbler has left us now and the Black-Browed Albatross that was said to be making its way back up the East Coast, hasn't been seen here again. Eastern-Crowned Warbler 5th Oct, Image credit: Paul Leafe Black-Browed Warbler 5th Oct, Image credit: Paul Leafe Eastern-Crowned Warbler and Black-Browed Albatross - WHAT A DAY! The last few days have been SUPER exciting on the reserve. Due to the strong winds blowing the birds off course, we have been lucky enough to confirm sightings of a number of rare birds.

The Eastern-Crowned Warbler was one of them, which had bird enthusiasts lining up in hope of catching a glimpse of the very rare bird for themselves. It is only the 4th time this bird has ever been seen in Britain, which as you can imagine was cause for celebration. We have been 'tweeted' some beautiful photos, my favourite taken by visitor Martin Standley . There is still a buzz in the air this morning on the reserve, although we have not yet had another sighting of the bird today. Easten-Crowned Warbler taken by Martin Standley @9stan (Twitter) Not only did we have the Eastern-Crowned Warbler yesterday, but the Black-Browed Albatross flew past our Grandstand view point yesterday morning, making it a dream come true for many. The endangered birds are normally only found in the southern hemisphere and we believe it has just traveled in the wrong direction ending up in the northern hemisphere. Sightings this morning confirmed it has been last seen off the Norfolk coast. There is a possibility that it could remain in the area and start nesting.

Black-Browed Albatross taken by Kevin Groocock Other sightnings over the last few days include: Siberian Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Blue Throat, Bonxie, Redstart, Barnacle Goose and Ring Ouzel. Today's most recent sightings are: Yellow-Browed Warbler x3, Chiffchaff x12, Goldcrest 20+, Blackcap, Brambling x11, Greenish Warbler (also said to be an Arctic Warbler) and Redstart x1. Recent Sightings on the reserve... It's a very blustery day here at Bempton Cliffs! We're into October now and Autumn has most certainly arrived. For the last couple of days we've had a NE wind, making a good migratory passage. Here is what we have recorded in our recent sightings book in the last few days...

Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Whinchat, Stonechat, Reed bunting, Blackcap, Blackbird, Dunnock, Song thrush, Rock pipit, Pied wagtail, Peregrine, Great spotted Woodpecker, Snipe, Treecreeper, Long-tailed tit, Pink footed goose (465 flew south on Friday), And today the most recent sightings include: Yellow-browed warbler, Brambling 4-5, Redwing 1-2, Whinchat, Snow bunting just now flying towards Jubilee viewpoint. The best places on our reserve to look for the migrant birds at the moment would be The Dell, the Nature Trail, Pallas' Patch, the car park both top and bottom and by the sounds of things, out on the viewpoints too. Female Whinchat photographed today by one of our volunteers, Will Scott Yellow-browed Warbler Invasion! Bird migration is in full swing at Bempton Cliffs as we move into late September. The arrival of the Yellow-browed Warblers has had everyone in a spin, with a record breaking number of 14 (maybe more) spotted on the reserve in one day.

Our previous record was 5, so quite exciting for us! These very pretty little birds have been spotted on our Nature Trail, in The Dell and more recently this morning in the top car park and Pallas's Patch (goldmines for migrants at the moment!) My advice would be to get down here as soon as possible if you want to catch them. Other migrants that have been spotted on the reserve this morning include; chiffchaff x2, whinchat x1, goldcrest x4. Image credit: Dave Aitken Image credit: Trevor Charlton Birds seen in the last few days include; yellow-browed warbler x14, redstart x1, whinchat x9, stonechat x1, willow warbler x1, chiffchaff 5+, siskin, grey wagtail, white wagtail, whitethroat, blackcap, common buzzard, tree pipit, pink-footed goose, grey plover, golden plover, peregrine. Summer Fete madness & recent sightings... Thanks to everyone that came along and joined in with our Bempton Cliffs Summer Fete at the end of August.

Our staff and volunteers had so much fun manning the quirky stalls and visitors seemed to really enjoy themselves, with Hook-a-Puffin being a big favourite! Chris couldn't resist joining in with the fun and ended up with a different face paint every day, his favourite being the puffin. He was a great advertisement as lots of kids wanted 'the same as the man on the desk.' Thanks Chris! By the end of the week we had managed to raise a whopping £550 towards seabird conservation, which is fantastic! The fete definitely put the fun back into fundraising and it was a nice change to our usual summer activities on the reserve. All in all it was a great week and we look forward to something similar on the reserve next summer :-) Recent Sightings We are into migration period now, so the summer migrants are leaving, while the winter migrants are starting to make an appearance. We've had recent sightings of spotted flycatcher, willow warbler, whinchat, swift, blackcap, pied flycatcher, yellow wagtail, wheatear, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, golden plover and ruff.

There has also been sightings of common buzzard, a female grey partridge and chick, oyster catcher, goldcrest, migrant hawker dragonfly and harbour porpoise. We also still have the fulmar, shag, herring gull and the gannets with their chicks all at different stages. Quite a few gannet chicks have fledged, while there are still some on the cliffs with their fluffy white down. Seawatch, Moths & Recent Sightings Hi, It's Helen here! It’s been a busy few weeks at Bempton Cliffs, so I just wanted to let you know what has been happening here among other things. We were involved with the National Whale and Dolphin Watch week at the end of July where we had volunteers and visitors help us to spot cetaceans from our clifftop viewpoints. We were lucky enough to have sightings of Harbour Porpoise, grey seals and a common seal. These sightings have now been sent to Seawatch Foundation who will add them to their database, so a big thank you to everyone who took part! I have also been setting the moth trap to see what species we have here at the reserve.

I am totally new to identifying moths, so have had help from my colleagues not only to help set the trap, but also to help identify them! I am really surprised about how colourful some of the moths are and it is really interesting to see what we have and to add them to our records. Here are some pictures of the moths I have taken: Poplar Hawkmoth Spectacle – so called because it looks like it is wearing a pair of glasses! I will leave you with the recent sightings from the last few days... Turnstone, marsh harrier, corn bunting, whinchat, ruff (flying south), duff (flying south), yellow wagtail (flying south), juvenile cuckoo, reed bunting, meadow pipit, red admiral, whitethroat, blackcap, house martin x12, redstart, oystercatcher x18, wheatear, willow warbler, pied flycatcher, grey heron x2 flew south, osprey, golden plover, porpose and minke whales x3!

Till next time, See you next year auks (and recent sightings!) It is officially the end of the auk season at Bempton Cliffs. We have the odd puffin and guillemot visible on the water, but the rest of the gang and their chicks appear to have left us until next season. It's been a busy few months, with tons of excited visitors spotting a puffin for the first time, leaving us with a tick on their bucket list and a promise to come back and see them again next year. We were lucky enough to even spot a puffling this year from our viewpoints, which is a very special treat as the parents usually keep them hidden safely in the burrow. All in all it's been a successful puffin season and as I mentioned in a previous blog post we managed to do our first Bempton Cliffs puffin count, so next year we will know whether the population is increasing or declining. Image Credit: Misa Mass (facebook) The gannets are stealing the spotlight now, with our guided gannet walks leaving the visitor centre at 11am every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday.

The gannets have such a wide window of opportunity to lay their eggs, so as you can see from the photo below, they are all in different stages. We have the fluffy white cotton wool chicks, right through to chicks that will be ready to fledge around the 2nd week in August. The last gannet to fledge will be around mid-October and then the gannets will leave us at the end of October, so there is still plenty of time for you to come along and see these magnificent birds with your own eyes! Image credit: Nick Hanson @nickhansonphoto Last weekend we had a sighting of this beautiful Ruddy Darter dragonfly on the reserve. This species of dragon fly moved north of the Humber in the early 1990’s. It can now be found in many areas in East Yorkshire. It is locally abundant. However, to our knowledge it has never been recorded at RSPB Bempton Cliffs Reserve - despite extensive searching over the years. Last weekend, there were 2 males together for 1.5 hours in cliff top grass at Old Dor viewpoint.

The image shows classic features (compared with Common Darter) being blood red, black legged and ‘waisted' near the base of the abdomen. Image and words credit: Trevor Charlton Before I jump onto the recent sightings, we have our Bempton Cliffs Summer Fete taking place on the reserve from 25th - 31st August. Come and join us for this fun event where you can have your face painted as an animal, a bird, a bug or a butterfly. Try your hand at the ring toss and find out if your aim is as good as an Auks! Throw a coin on the chocolate toss and try to catch a ‘fish’ for your dinner. Hook-a-Puffin and win a prize or learn an interesting fact about Bempton’s most popular sea bird - all for a small donation! I have really enjoyed preparing this event, especially turning these rubber ducks into puffins! It would be great to see as many visitors as possible join us and help us to raise money for our reserve. We also have a raffle full of amazing prizes, including prints by the amazing Steve Race and Chrys Mellor. There is no need to book, just turn up and have fun!

Recent Sightings Here is a list of our recent sightings over the last week or so... redshank, great skua, canada goose, cormorant x 10 flying north past Bartlett Nab, common scoter, juvenile cuckoo spotted throughout this week and again yesterday at Staple Newk in the afternoon and this morning flying from New Roll Up inland, kestrel, yellow wagtail, marsh harrier, great white egret, peregrine, great skua, harbour porpoise, grey seal, lesser whitethroat, grasshopper warbler, reed warbler, painted lady butterfly x8, swallow, oystercatcher x 16 flying south, ruddy darter dragonfly, six-spot burnet moth. There is so much to see here and our recent sightings book is available for you to view in our visitor centre. Feel free to add anything you have spotted yourselves! Auk, gannet and kittiwake chicks + Recent Sightings This time of year is so exciting at Bempton Cliffs! We have chicks everywhere and every time I catch sight of one I can't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside.

In the last week or two we have started to spot the auk chicks huddled with their parents on their tiny ledges. I didn't know this, but auk chicks hatch at quite a good size, as they leave the nest after just 2 and a half weeks and need to be big enough to do so. When they leave the nest they jump down to the sea, which is where they get the name 'jumplings' from. Their flight feathers take another 4 weeks to fully form, so until then they sit on the sea and continue to be fed by the male. In this picture you can get an idea of the size of a guillemot chick, which still has a week or so left before it is ready to fledge. Guillemot and chick - Image by Mark Smales. The gannets have a much wider window of opportunity when it comes to laying their eggs. The first gannets start returning to the cliffs in January, and the last gannets will leave in October. We have many gannet chicks on the cliffs at the moment, and many more to come!

So, if you've visited us recently and seen the many different stages of gannet chicks on the cliffs, that's why! Pair 33's chick was the first to hatch at the beginning of May, so will be the biggest by far, but it still has 6-8 weeks left in the nest before it will be ready to fledge. The gannet chick pictured below is still small enough to sit safe and warm under the adult. Isn't it cute?! Gannet with chick - Image by Kevin Groocock While I have been writing this post my e-mail pinged with this gorgeous photo fresh from the cliffs of a kittiwake with its chicks. This is our first sighting of kittiwake chicks this year at Bempton Cliffs, so it definitely needed a mention! I've been watching in awe for weeks as large numbers of kittiwakes have been gathering nesting materials from a pond across the fields near Jubilee Corner, and then flying back over visitors' heads to their nests on the cliffs. That all stopped about 3 weeks ago and now I know why :-) I told you it was an exciting time to be here!

Image by Michael Babcock RECENT SIGHTINGS The team here at Bempton are really efficient with updating our recent sightings board, so here is what we've seen around the reserve lately. Kestrel, barnacle geese x 4 flying north, sandwich tern flying south past Grandstand, painted lady butterfly, sparrowhawk (female), peregrine falcon, corn bunting, reed bunting, linnet, white throat, tree sparrow, barn owl, turtle dove, spoonbill, small copper butterfly, yellow wagtail, canada geese x 40 flying by Bartlett Nab. Lastly in the Dell there has been a blackcap, lesser white throat x2 and a moorhen with 3 one week old chicks. Puffin season is in full swing! We are well and truly into puffin season now, and I'm still as excited as a child on Christmas morning every time I see one. Our Puffin Patrols have been full every day and we've had some lovely feedback from the excited visitors that are seeing puffins for the first time. The novelty really doesn't seem to wear off, and that's probably because the puffins are here for such a short space of time.

If you are planning on coming to see a puffin with your own eyes, make sure you get here before the end of July as the puffins will be leaving then and we don't want you to miss out! For those of you that can't make it to Bempton Cliffs during puffin season, here is a gorgeous video that our live cameras captured of a puffin that appears to be posing for the camera. They really are good looking little birds, aren't they? (Please visit the site to view this video) So, in my last blog I wrote about our first gannet egg of the season from pair 33. Since then we've seen two gannet chicks (gugas), one from pair 33 at Staple and another from Jubilee viewpoint. We have not yet managed to capture a clear enough photo to share with you, but we're keeping our eyes peeled and hopefully we'll have something worth sharing soon! The other seabirds also seem to be doing well with their eggs, and hopefully by early June we will have some baby guillemots and razorbills (jumplings) on the cliffs too. Razorbill and egg - Image by Michael Babcock.

I'm still really enjoying myself in my role of Visitor Experience Assistant, I'm learning something new every day and sometimes really stepping out of my comfort zone, which has been scary but rewarding. I'm looking forward to what the rest of the season has to offer and I'll hopefully have plenty more to blog about in the months to come. Thank you for reading :-) RECENT SIGHTINGS It's been a while since my last blog post, so we've had quite a lot of sightings on the reserve. We've seen corn bunting, oystercatcher, swallows (back in the nest at the entrance to the visitor centre), iceland gull (flew over), peregrine (pair), short eared owl, red kite, common buzzard, osprey (flew over), house martin, yellowhammer, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, sparrowhawk, grey seal and porpoise.

A Guide to Bempton Cliffs | Best Bird Watching in England - Crows Nest Caravan Park Crows Nest Caravan Park Bird Watching at Bempton Cliffs Quick Holiday Search You are in: Blog | A Guide to Bempton Cliffs 2/10/2013 A Guide to Bempton Cliffs Bempton Cliffs form part of England's largest seabird colony between Flamborough Head and Filey. A family favourite, Bempton Cliffs are easily the best place in England to see, hear and smell seabirds! More than 200,000 birds (from April to August) make the cliffs seem alive – with adult birds bringing food to their nests, or young chicks making their first faltering flights The hard chalk cliffs at Bempton are relatively resistant to erosion and offer lots of sheltered headlands and crevices for nesting birds. Bempton Cliffs run about 6 miles from Flamborough Head north towards Filey and are over 100 metres (330 ft) high at points.

The Birds With huge numbers of birds to watch at Bempton Cliffs, beginners can easily learn the difference between gannets, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars. The easily recognisable puffins are always a delight. About 4,000 pairs of puffins return to Bempton Cliffs to breed. Each pair lays a single egg in a crevice in the rock face. The best time to see the puffins at Bempton Cliffs is between May and early July when they regularly visit their young with small fish. By August, the young puffins have left Bempton Cliffs to spend the winter on the North Sea. Bempton Cliffs has the largest mainland gannet colony (gannetry) in Britain. Over 1,630 pairs nest on the cliffs. Gannets can be seen here from January to November, but they are most active between April and August when they are breeding. They will travel up to 60 miles (100 kilometres) from the colony to find food.

When fishing gannets can dive from heights of up to 130 feet (40 metres), entering the water at up to 60 mph (95 kph). You may see some diving for food not too far out to sea. Six other species of seabirds nest at Bempton Cliffs. Kittiwakes are the most numerous, with 75,000 pairs packed onto the cliffs. Look out for the distinctive gliding flight of fulmars around Bempton Cliffs. They may look like gulls, but are members of the petrel family. About 800 pairs nest on the ledges. Herring gulls and a few shags also nest on the cliffs. This member of the gull family can be most easily identified by its 'kittiwaak-kittiwaak' call. Guillemots and razorbills also nest on the narrow cliff ledges. Guillemots are browner than razorbills and have long, dark dagger-like bills. Razorbills have broader, flattened bills, with a vertical white line near the tip.

You can watch the 200,000 seabirds LIVE on CCTV through the breeding season from March to October. Meet the RSPB information assistants and hear about the live action, watch it for yourself on the two TV screens and enjoy close-up images of the nesting gannets. Opening times The reserve is open at all times. From March to October, the visitor centre is open daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm, and from November to February, 9.30 am to 4 pm. Entrance charges Entry is free of charge to members of the RSPB all year. There's a charge for non-members of £5 per car, minibus £8 and coach £10. New to birdwatching... The birds are easy to see during breeding season - creating a fantastic seascape and bird spectacle. Only eight target seabird species breed here, so learning to identify birds is simple. In winter, common passerines (buntings, sparrows and finches) and short-eared owls (vary in numbers from one year to next) can be seen and identified. Information for families Reserve already popular with families. Various family events included in our programme throughout the year.

Backpack Activity days very popular. Information for dog owners Dogs are welcome on the reserve, however they must be kept on leads at all times. This is to ensure that ground nesting birds are not disturbed, and also to ensure the safety of dogs on the cliff top. Bempton Cliffs Bridlington - Bridlington Bridlington Events, Information, Accommodation, Activities, News Search for: Attractions , Bempton Bempton Cliffs Bridlington Bempton Cliffs is a nature reserve, run by the RSPB, at Bempton in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is best known for its breeding seabirds, including Northern Gannet, Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Guillemot, Black-legged Kittiwake and Fulmar. Location The hard chalk cliffs at Bempton rise are relatively resistant to erosion and offer lots of sheltered headlands and crevices for nesting birds. The cliffs run about 10 km from Flamborough Head north towards Filey and are over 100 metres high at points. There are good walkways along the top of the cliffs and several well fenced and protected observation points.

Most times there will be many helpful bird watchers with a range of scopes and binoculars on hand. Gannets Bempton Cliffs is home to the only mainland breeding colony of Gannets in England. The birds arrive at the colony from January and leave in August and September. The Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) is a seabird and is the largest member of the gannet family, Sulidae. It has the same colors as the Australasian Gannet and is similar in appearance. Young birds are dark brown in their first year, and gradually acquire more white in subsequent seasons until they reach maturity after five years. Adults are 81–110 cm long, weigh 2.2–3.6 kg and have a 165–180 cm wingspan. Before fledging, the immature birds (at about 10 weeks of age) can weigh more than 4 kg. Their plumage is white with black wing tips. The bill is light bluish. The eye is light blue, and it is surrounded by bare, black skin. During breeding, the head and neck are brushed in a delicate yellow.

Kittiwakes Numerically the most common bird at Bempton Cliffs, at around 10% of the United Kingdom population of Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) live on the cliffs at Bempton. The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Larus tridactylus. In North America, this species is known as the Black-legged Kittiwake to differentiate it from the Red-legged Kittiwake, but in Europe, where it is the only member of the genus, it is often known just as Kittiwake. The name is derived from its call, a shrill ‘kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake’. The adults is 37–41 cm in length with a wingspan of 91–105 cm and a body mass of 305–525 g. It has a white head and body, grey back, grey wings tipped solid black, and have black legs and a yellow bill.

Occasional individuals have pinky-grey to reddish legs, inviting confusion with Red-legged Kittiwake. In winter, this species acquires a dark grey smudge behind the eye and a grey hind-neck collar. It is a coastal breeding bird around the north Pacific and north Atlantic oceans, found most commonly in North America and Europe. It breeds in large colonies on cliffs and is very noisy on the breeding ground. Cliff nesting for gulls occurs only in the Rissa species, and the Kittiwake is capable of utilizing the very sheerest of vertical cliffs, as is evident in their nesting sites at Bempton Cliffs and on Staple Island in the outer Farne Islands. One to two buff spotted eggs are laid in the nest lined with moss or seaweed. The downy young of Kittiwakes are white, since they have no need of camouflage from predators, and do not wander from the nest like Larus gulls for obvious safety reasons. At fledging, the juveniles differ from the adults in having a black ‘W’ band across the length of the wings and whiter secondary and primary feathers behind the black ‘W’, a black hind-neck collar and a black terminal band on the tail.

The old fisherman’s name of “tarrock” for juvenile Kittiwakes is still occasionally used. They are fish feeders, and are more pelagic than Larus gulls outside the breeding season. They do not scavenge at tips like some other gull species. Atlantic Puffins The Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) at Bempton Cliffs tend to nest in rock crevices, whereas burrows are used at most UK sites. For this reason, although there are estimated to be around 6,000 birds at Bempton Cliffs, it is relatively difficult to get a close view of them. Nevertheless, there are plenty to be seen in May and June. The Bempton Cliffs Puffins mostly fly 40 kilometres east to the Dogger Bank to feed. Their numbers may however be adversely affected by a reduction in local sand eel numbers caused by global warming, in turn caused by plankton being driven north by the 2 degree rise in local sea temperatures. The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a seabird species in the auk family.

It is a pelagic bird that feeds primarily by diving for fish, but also eats other sea creatures, such as squid and crustaceans. Its most obvious characteristic during the breeding season is its brightly coloured bill. Also known as the Common Puffin, it is the only puffin species which is found in the Atlantic Ocean. The curious appearance of the bird, with its large colourful bill and its striking piebald plumage, has given rise to nicknames such as ‘”clown of the ocean” and “sea rooster”. The Atlantic Puffin is the provincial bird for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Updated: October 24, 2015 — 7:00 am RSPB Bempton Cliffs, North Yorkshire, England, UK. - Birdwatching Locations on Waymarking.com you are not logged in. [log in] RSPB Bempton Cliffs, North Yorkshire, England, UK. - Birdwatching Locations on Waymarking.com Welcome to Waymarking.com! We hope you've been able to find what you are looking for. We would also like to encourage you to take some time to browse some of the other aspects of our site.

We recommend viewing our featured waymarks , or perhaps the newest waymarks . You can also create a free membership to track your progress online and share your locations with others. Click here to view the complete waymark directory N 54° 08.787 W 000° 10.174 30U E 684858 N 6003518 Quick Description: Easily the best place in England to see, hear and smell seabirds! More than 200,000 birds at any one time (from April to August) make the chalk cliffs seem alive with adults bringing food to their nests. Location: United Kingdom Date Posted: 9/7/2008 4:06:09 AM Waymark Code: WM4MFT .KML File (Google Earth) Long Description: The chalk cliffs at Bempton form part of England's largest seabird colony between Flamborough Head and Bempton. Over 200,000 seabirds breed on the reserve alone. As well as managing reserves such as this the RSPB also works for the better protection of the marine environment.

For much of the year, the cliffs at Bempton are relatively quiet, but during the breeding season, between April and August, they are crammed with birds. The spectacle, noise, activity and smell all contribute to an overwhelming and memorable experience. As many seabird colonies are on remote islands Bempton offers a rare opportunity to watch breeding seabirds at close quarters. Both puffins and gannets breed at Bempton. About 2,000 pairs of puffins return to the cliffs to breed and each pair lays a single egg in a crevice in the rock face. Between May and the end of July they regularly visit their young with small fish but by August, the young puffins have left the cliffs to spend the winter on the North Sea. Bempton has the largest mainland gannet colony (gannetry) in Britain. Over 2,500 pairs nest on the cliffs and can be seen here from January to November, but are most active between April and August when they are breeding. They will travel up to 60 miles to find food. When fishing, gannets can dive from heights of up to 130 feet, entering the water at up to 60 mph.

Six other species of seabirds nest at Bempton Cliffs. Kittiwakes are the most numerous, with 45,000 pairs packed onto the cliffs. Guillemots and razorbills also nest on the narrow cliff ledges. Look out for the distinctive gliding flight of fulmars around the cliffs, and herring gulls and a few shags also nest on the cliffs. Park Name: RSPB Bempton Cliffs Sponsoring Organization: Royal Society for theProtection of Birds Handicap Accessible?: Yes Entrance Fee: 4.00 (listed in local currency) List any Hides, Birding Towers, or other structures to assist in Birdwatching found at the location: Entrance fee is £3.50 per car. There is a hide near the entrance building which allows visitors to see the feeding stations that attract many different species throughout the year. The main attraction is the cliffs with nesting seabirds. There are paths (on the safe side of the fence) as well as a number of viewing platforms.

Viewing points Seabirds Photography Workshops | Nature Photography Courses Seabirds Photography Workshops Yorkshire Photograph the spectacular seabirds of Bempton Cliffs with Professional Wildlife Photographer Paul Miguel. This Photography Workshop concentrates on the bird life around Flamborough cliffs, the only mainland U.K. breeding colony for gannets. Home to thousands of seabirds, these cliff tops are the ideal location to photograph the masses of breeding birds. Gannets will be our main target; from the same height we photograph clear portraits against an ocean backdrop – and capture stunning flight shots! Guilemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and puffins can also be photographed, along with stiff winged fulmars that patrol the skies. We will start the workshop over coffee before visiting the best viewpoints along the cliffs. Tuition will be given on exposure control, shutter speed, composition and focusing technique. Flight photography is particularly difficult to master so we will spend plenty of time looking at techniques for sharp images of birds in flight. If the weather is good there will be the added option of staying til sunset for evocative silhouettes, at no extra cost. “They are the best wildlife photos I have taken so far.. no exaggeration!

I’m absolutely delighted. I learned so much from you and am still on a high from the day!” Robert Dutton, Leeds This is not just a Photography Workshop but also a Full-on Wildlife Experience – making it the ideal Gift! These Bempton Cliffs Photography Courses can also be booked on a One to One basis. Booking A deposit can be paid via paypal or cheque. You will need to complete the online Booking Form Please also read the Terms & Conditions .

Cost: £120 per person Dates 2017: Saturday 6th May; 11.00am – 7.00pm (2 Places Available) Maximum number: 4 What’s included: tuition; lunch; feedback on images Not included: Entry fee of £3.50 (free to RSPB members) Deposit: £30 Equipment: Lenses from 300mm upwards; wide-angle is useful; optional equipment – tripod/monopod, flash-gun Email: paul@naturephotographycourses.co.uk Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire SPA status Flamborough Head Flamborough Head is located on the central Yorkshire coast of eastern England. The cliffs project into the North Sea, rising to 135 m at Bempton Cliffs, and exposing a wide section of chalk strata. The cliff-top vegetation comprises maritime grassland vegetation growing alongside species more typical of chalk grassland.

The site supports large numbers of breeding seabirds including Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla and auks, as well as the only mainland-breeding colony of Gannet Morus bassanus in the UK. The seabirds feed and raft in the waters around the cliffs, outside the SPA, as well as feeding more distantly in the North Sea. The intertidal chalk platforms are also used as roosting sites, particularly at low water and notably by juvenile Kittiwakes.

For individual species accounts visit the Species Accounts section This site qualifies under Article 4.2 of the Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European importance of the following migratory species: During the breeding season; Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, 83,370 pairs representing at least 2.6% of the breeding Eastern Atlantic - Breeding population (Count, as at 1987) Assemblage qualification: A seabird assemblage of international importance The area qualifies under Article 4.2 of the Directive (79/409/EEC) by regularly supporting at least 20,000 seabirds During the breeding season, the area regularly supports 305,784 individual seabirds including: Puffin Fratercula arctica, Razorbill Alca torda, Guillemot Uria aalge, Herring Gull Larus argentatus, Gannet Morus bassanus, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. Note: Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.

Note that sites selected for waterbird species on the basis of their occurrence in the breeding, passage or winter periods also provide legal protection for these species when they occur at other times of the year. The RSPB: Gannet Boobies and gannets (Sulidae) Where to see them Biggest mainland breeding colony at RSPB's Bempton Cliffs. Two mainland colonies - at Bempton and Troup Head, Scotland. Big island colonies on St Kilda, the Northern Isles and Bass Rock in Scotland and Grassholm in Wales. Can be seen offshore almost anywhere, especially when they migrate south between August and October. When to see them They arrive at their colonies from January onwards and leave between August and October. Non-breeding birds can be seen at any time around the coasts and the main migration period offshore is during the autumn. What they eat

Question: Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire form the only British Mainland colony for which bird?
Answer: GANNET